One word to describe yourself: Persistent
Alma Mater: University of Massachusetts Amherst; 2010 - B.S. in Psychology, Minor in Education
Fast fact about yourself: I originally considered a career in chemistry or a middle school science teacher. In middle school, I attended an art school that focused on theater, concert band and chorus and in high school, I attended a trade school where I obtained a trade certificate in Electronics Technology. I have always been fortunate to have access to a well-rounded education.
What’s your best experience on transit and what made it memorable? Getting lost on the public bus coming home from school when I was a teenager. This was my first introduction to just how much I didn’t know. I was unable to make it to my normal stop due to a snowstorm and quickly saw that the loop went into the neighboring town before coming back. In my naivete, I assumed the bus had a short route downtown and back. I scared the daylights out of my mom but was exposed to the intricate bus system I had not thought about before that experience. It pushed me to learn to read and understand schedules to be independent from my mom and school bus as forms of transportation.
Marcy Elliott’s colleagues at WeDriveU (formerly National Express Transit) say she exemplifies the “lead at the front” mentality through her active engagement with employees at all levels and across the two locations she oversees. Her leadership style focuses on growth, morale improvement and recognizing institutional knowledge and local work culture. By understanding staff history and current needs, Elliott tailors her approach to support professional and emotional progress.
Elliott uses data analysis to drive informed decisions and communicates effectively with her team. She is described as a “people-first leader” who is always available to her team, listens to feedback and ensures they have the necessary tools and resources. Elliott maintains her CDL to stay connected with drivers and staff, allowing her to engage directly with clients and consumers.
Her approach to managing people and processes is credited as having positively impacted business costs, reduced turnover and absenteeism, decreased complaints and created a more supportive work environment. Since becoming general manager of 7010 – Hyde Park for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s The Ride service in 2023, she has improved on-time performance by 10 percent and recruited more than 75 operators, enhancing recruitment and retention efforts.
In the workplace, Elliott promotes the three “R” philosophy - recognition, recreation and refreshments - encouraging employees to support each other and remain community-focused. She is active in various WeDriveU ERG groups and projects, including Women’s Inspiration Network (WIN), UNIDOS and ONE (LGBTQ+) and was awarded Member of the Year for WIN in 2023.
For the past 16 years, Elliott has grown within the industry having held various positions in transportation across the country with multiple modes of service, including fixed-route, paratransit, community transit and school bus. Her goal is to participate in various industry opportunities that promote her development and those around her.
Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today?
As an undergraduate student, becoming pregnant with my daughter set in motion my need to find a flexible and financially stable job. The UMass Transit bus service on campus provided me with the opportunity to learn and participate in a system that was designed to teach, be of service to others and provided my CDL training. This also allowed me to spend time with my family and complete my college education, on time.
My time at UMass Transit propelled me to participate in a transit industry internship, which ultimately moved me into the industry, professionally. This experience brought forth my joy for the commercial transit industry and showed me that while monetary compensation was important, so was fostering a very employee-centric culture. I have carried this culture with me since, and demonstrated what I learned in every role I’ve had including my current role here, at WeDriveU.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The ability to engage with many different people, places and exchange experiences. It has allowed me to impact people directly and indirectly. Engaging with others is personally rewarding, contributes to my work and helps me better understand the needs of my employees, clients and customers.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Many factors influence our ability to provide effective transportation services to the public. It can be challenging to help both the public and frontline employees understand how complex seemingly "simple" requests can be to execute, such as changes in ridership policies and procedures, purchasing new buses and equipment or increasing hours and flexibility of service. One aspect I appreciate about the current leadership team is their commitment to education as a service model. We have dedicated time to help employees and the public understand the intricacies of these activities, significantly enhancing employee engagement, customer satisfaction and community support for our work.
Accomplishment you’re most proud of and why?
I’ve never allowed characteristics, such as my age or gender, to determine my pursuits. Looking back, there are choices I made that may have seemed unorthodox to others but I’ve overcome challenges nonetheless and I am on a career path that is as successful as it is rewarding. While trying at times, each day is new and exciting and I’ve been able to tell great stories through my experiences and foster the development of my team and mentees through a positive lens.
What is an accomplishment you would like to work towards in your career?
Pursuing my MBA and developing an accredited learning program (similar to nursing or automotive repair) for those who want to enter the transit industry is something I aspire toward. The program would focus on developing the fundamental skills managers in mass transit require. In the short-term, I continue to participate in learning opportunities that broaden my knowledge, professional experience and apply my passion to help develop the next generation of managers in our industry.
Best advice/tip/best practice to share from your area of expertise?
Get out in the field. Engage with drivers, staff and passengers. Always listen and remain open to constructive criticism. It is important to acknowledge change and that there is more than one way to successful accomplishments. The best way of doing something today can change tomorrow.
The demographics and needs of the public are changing continually. We can never assume that we are done improving, especially in an industry that impacts so many people.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
